What a difference a year makes on all fronts. The weather conditions couldn’t have been more perfect for the staging of the Dundrum Gr8 on Saturday. In fact it might have even been a little too warm for the runners. The sun shone and the breeze barely rippled the water on the inner bay as 872 runners doing the 8.4 mile distance ran along side it. The race started in the centre of the village before going along the Old Road towards Twelve Arches with the only real incline in this section. It was then back toward Dundrum along the ‘Cut’, a gravel path, before heading into the National trust and towards the beach. The beach is usually the toughest part of the course because of the headwinds and many were remembering the sand blasting they got from the gale force winds last year. Not this year. Apart from lower temperatures we could have been running along Caribbean sands with just a gentle breeze to cool the skin. It meant that instead of hankering down like last year to endure the battering the full beauty of the scenery could be appreciated.

EDAC had 8 runners taking part in the full distance. Paul Burns led the charge and is obviously returning to form completing the course in a time of 52.04 minutes and placing 15th overall. Declan Teague came in 1.02.15 with the first EDAC female Aoife Cochrane not far behind in 1.03.45 nearly 8 minutes faster than last year. There was then a stead flow of the rest of the EDAC squad; Patrick Smith (1.13.51), Wayne Giles (1.17.41), Aine Grant (1.20.38), nearly a minute faster than last year and Helen McGinley (1.26.27). Finally, but not least, returning to racing after a year of health issuses was Marguerite Robinson. Donning the EDAC vest for the first time in a year she decided from the beginning to assist with sweeping up runners with her Murlough friends Judith Robinson and Paula McKibben. It was the best way to soak up the atmosphere and appreciate all the planning that went into hosting such a great event. Thanks should be given to all the organisers, marshals, those manning the water station, those providing and serving the food and everyone along the way who couldn’t have been more encouraging. Thank you form EDAC.

About 30 minutes after the longer race started the shorter 3.5 mile race began with 161 runners taking part. EDAC only had one runner, junior Alex Robinson, in this race and he represented the club well. This race follows the first same initial route as the 8.4 mile race but at Twelve Arches turns back into Dundrum along the main road. The pace was fast & furious. Alex led until the last ¾ of a mile when he was overtaken by Jonny Gregg of Newry City AC. Alex held on until the end getting a second-place podium position and placing first junior overall in a time of 21.13.